Curse of the Talisman

Jeremy is given a stone gargoyle figure and talisman for safekeeping by his boss, an occult bookstore manager. When Jeremy accidentally brings the gargoyle to life he enlists the help of his friends and an English priest to stop the gargoyle destroying his home town.

An old woman lies dead, seemingly killed by her own dog. An open and shut case? The killer dog is condemned to death row, but Margaret O'Halloran, the legendary Dogwoman, suspects foul play. Did the dog do it, or were there more sinister circumstances? In a race against time to save the dog's life, Margaret is drawn into a world of secrets and lies, intrigue and conspiracy.

Tom Cooper (Colin Friels) is born to the land and assumes the role of head of the family after the sudden death of his father. Tom wants to modernise and expand the family property and borrows money in the form of a foreign currency loan. When the Australian dollar crashes, thrusting interest rates into an upward spiral, and the countryside experiences a devastating drought, Tom and his wife Liz (Greta Scacchi) are faced with debt repayments they have no possibility of meeting.

The bank threatens foreclosure and against the advice of lawyers, family and friends, Tom and Liz attempt the impossible—they decide to sue the bank. This is a David and Goliath story of individuals refusing to be crushed by powerful forces, and of the compelling emotional journey of farming couple Tom and Liz Cooper. (3x52 min or 1x90 min)

When Jane Halifax is asked to provide a psychiatric assessment of laconic ex-cop Laurie Downes for a bail hearing in connection with a manslaughter change against him, Jane finds her professionalism tested to the utmost with the lives of the innocent people depending on her judgement and skills.

Following the sudden death of her best friend and fellow psychiatrist Lisa McNamara, Jane finds herself taking time off from a sabbatical in New Zealand to stay and look after her friend's young family and close down Lisa's practice. It is when meeting with each of Lisa's patients that Jane first encounters Alison Blunt, a gifted violinist with a dangerously disturbed personality.

Ihaka: Blunt Instrument

Maori detective Tito Ihaka (Temuera Morrison), is sent to a police training conference in Sydney following complaints about his rough tactics when arresting a cop-killer in his native Auckland. To keep him out of trouble, he is teamed with police media officer Kirsty Finn (Rebecca Gibney), and together they are assigned to review the three-year-old unsolved murder of supermodel, Julia Renton. The investigation at the time of the murder concluded that it was a random sex-killing, but with the unique combination of Finn's PR skills and Ihaka's direct approach of frightening people, the two not only find themselves in political hot water, but they uncover the sinister truth behind the killing.

The Love of Lionel's Life (aka Open Cut)

Gundeena, in the middle of the Queensland outback, lives Lionel Burke (Matt Day) — along with two hundred blokes and seven women. Lionel and his best mate, Steve (Alex Dimitriades), have shared everything together since childhood, that is, until Lionel meets Lena (Nadine Garner). Suspicious of her motives, Steve's world is suddenly turned upside down as Lionel and Lena become more entrenched as a couple. Steve's jealousy and anger at his abandonment leads to a series of tragic events that will never leave Gundeena the same again. (95 min)

Marriage Acts

A bomb placed in Judge David McKinnon's (Colin Friels) letterbox kills a neighbour's dog and injures the neighbour. In some guilt, David, a man of working class origins goes back through his case files in search of a potential bomber. His jurisdiction is Family Law and among those whose divorces he has arbitrated, giving and denying custody of children, are a number of possibilities.

David ignores his family's pleas that he go away for a while, and returns to work at the court, where he sees his long term lover and colleague, Judge Miriam Hawkins (Linden Wilkinson). A second bomb explodes at the court killing another judge, and David begins to revisit his cases and re-evoke the angry, sad, frustrated people whose lives, for better or worse, he may have distorted.

At the same time his own family relationships have begun to disintegrate. His wife Jean (Sonia Todd) leaves to stay with her sister away from the city. When David goes there to try to talk to her, she tells him she wants a divorce, and also reveals that their married daughter Anna (Annalise Phillips) is contemplating an abortion. Very troubled, David attempts to talk to Anna. She resists his arguments, but admits that she may yet change her mind.

Miriam's son Dan (Mark Priestly), a heroin addict, is found dead, floating in the harbour. It is possible his death is unrelated, but Miriam firmly believes Dan too is a victim of the bomber. She warns David to look to the safety of his own son Michael (Laurence Breuls). As a result David brings Michael home from university and further disquieting revelations about David's own family follow.

While David is absent from the house, the bomber gains entry through the dense trees and bushes at the back of the house, and overpowers the constable on duty there. Anna arrives alone at the house and surprises the bomber. He holds her captive and proceeds to wire up the house with explosives. He tells her to dial 000 and have her father brought there. Police surround the house. David arrives at the scene and begs for his daughter's life, offering his own in exchange. He enters the house and at last confronts his nemesis face to face.

My Husband… My Killer?

"In the early hours of the morning, Megan (Linda Cropper) was shot dead whilst asleep next to her husband, Andrew Kalajzich (Martin Sacks). Miraculously her husband was unharmed throughout the whole ordeal, but suspicion grew regarding Andrew's involvement in the crime. While Kalajzich and his family proclaimed his innocence from the beginning, Detective Sergeant Bob Inkster (Colin Friels) and his team had already identified him as a highly possibile suspect. In fact, it seemed the only explanation given the details of the crime scene. But "why" and "how"? There seemed no apparent motive for the murder.

Framed in the wordless but desperate war of wills between Inkster and Kalajzich, a picture emerges of two men. One a decent, warm family man fired with a passion for justice and the other, a man whose unqualified successes had given him a determination unhindered by any respect for anyone else and an unfailing belief in his ability to win any battle. (100 min)

On The Beach

The crew and vessel of a U.S. Navy submarine, including Commander Dwight Towers, survive a nuclear missile war between the United States and Taiwan. However, destruction is catastrophic and months later, only small pockets of civilisation remain alive on the planet, mostly in Australia. Placed under the command of the Australian government, their first assignment is to return an insubordinate scientist, Julian Osborne, to Melbourne. Osborne has retreated to a secluded island to await what he considers the inevitable—radioactive fallout drifting into the Southern Hemisphere. The end of the world… The Australian Admiral isn't so sure. Encouraged by new data, he sends Towers and his crew on a mission to measure radiation levels in the Pacific Northwest. It's a long shot but it's the only one they have. Before embarking, Towers takes an interest in a spirited local woman, Moira Davidson, Osborne's former fiance. Still grieving and in denial over the deaths of his wife and children, Towers is guarded to her advances. Osborne, believing the end to be near, feels rekindled affection for Moira. Towers' ensuing rivalry with Osborne adds tension to their already dangerous mission. Meanwhile, Peter Holmes, an Australian liaison officer also due to go on the mission, devotes as much time possible to his wife, Mary and their two-year-old daughter. Convinced all will be well, Mary plans their future and frets over remodelling ideas for next spring.

In the compelling conclusion, the submarine mission returns with fatal news—radioactive levels are still deadly. The false hope of the transmission from Alaska ends in a shocking discovery and the devastation witnessed by the crew sinks them into despair. During the expedition, Towers' second-in-command suffers a tear in his radiation suit that leads to his death. In Melbourne, the realization of impending doom begins to unravel the social fabric. Anarchy and chaos erupt. The world is in ruins. Still, some dream and hope for a miracle. As a distraction from the unthinkable, Osborne, amuses himself with a gleaming red Ferrari. Holmes and his wife seek solace in their eternal love for each other while facing a heartbreaking decision about their baby. Towers and Moira try to make sense of their newfound love as he is forced to choose between her and his sense of duty and commitment to his men. In the final days and hours, humankind's greatest failures, as well as its greatest virtues—love, courage, loyalty and compassion—reveal themselves heroically and tragically.

Virtual Nightmare

Dale Hunter, a junior advertising executive on the fast track, begins to experience visions that the bucolic reality he lives in is a monumental scam. Seeking help from the local librarian, Wendy, a self-professed misfit, the two discover that the world they think they inhabit is actually a projection of a machine, the Direct Broadcast Virtual Reality. When Dale and Wendy attempt to destroy the DBVR and restore the world to its natural state, they make an astounding and terrifying discovery.

Forced to spend their days and nights together in one room, four total strangers initially believe the only thing they share are problem pregnancies. As the time passes there are explosive arguments, terrible frustrations and unexpected tragedy. For the four women "waiting at the Royal" changes their lives forever. None of these women could ever have known that sharing a public ward would turn into such a journey of self-discovery.